Montreal Casino Croupiers on strike over pay
Poker rooms are closed as the Montreal Casino croupiers continue their protest.
Canada.- Croupiers at the Montreal Casino have gone on strike demanding better working conditions and higher salaries for starting employees. The strike began on Friday (May 27). The majority of operations at the Montreal Casino are running but the poker lounge is closed.
The collective agreement that regulates the working conditions of 521 dealers expired on March 31, 2020. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has accused the employer of wanting to pay new recruits at 90 per cent of the lowest salary scale.
Union representative Jean-Pierre Proulx said: “The casino is a Crown corporation that brings a lot of money into the public coffers to pay for our health and education services.
“We want to continue to do our part to fill those coffers, but we can no longer do so at the expense of our health. At the moment, the dispute is about 15 minutes per day of break time that the employer does not want to pay for.”
Loto-Quebec, which manages the casino, says that its entry-level salary is more than 20 per cent above the market rate.
It said: “Loto-Quebec is disappointed that the Montreal Casino dealers’ union is continuing to strike when all the elements necessary to reach an agreement were available, especially since the last two years have been difficult for casino employees.”
It added: “The croupiers at the Montreal Casino are asking for 30 minutes of paid break for each hour worked. They would therefore spend more than 30 per cent of their shift on paid break, which is unusual in the industry and other casinos by the company.”
